€23m seized in 6 months
Figures obtained by the Irish Examiner show gardaí seized a third more heroin compared to the first half of 2006, while other drug amounts remained relatively similar to the same period last year.
Gardaí revealed that up to 60kg in heroin was recovered by the end of June, much of which was from four large scale raids.
In one raid in January up to 26kg of heroin was found in Tallaght, Dublin, at a house on Colbert’s Fort Road.
Cocaine seizures, prior to Monday’s 2000kg haul, amounted to over 100kgs for the first six months this year. Gardaí say the amounts found were in average size batches, under 10kgs each.
However, gardaí raided a warehouse in Naas, Co Kildare, in March finding a large mixed shipment of drugs, including 30kg of cocaine. The drugs were concealed in metal piping and were vacuum-packed to prevent detection by sniffer dogs.
Earlier in January, gardaí using the dog unit searched a Traveller facility in Malahide and found around 6.5kg of cocaine.
Seizures of cannabis resin so far this year have amounted to 600kgs, which is down by around a third on last year. Massive recoveries were made early in the year during investigations.
In January, gardaí discovered about 165kg of the illegal drug after searching an open area near Parc na Silla, Loughlinstown in Dublin.
In the same month, 180kg of cannabis resin was found in Clontarf after a house was raided during a major operation.
Furthermore, around 140,000 ecstasy tablets were recovered so far this year, a drug now valued as low as €5 on the street.
On top of these amounts, smaller seizures of cannabis herb, crack cocaine and LSD have also been made.
The provisional statistics for the half-year show another rise in heroin, as in 2006 when amounts recovered jumped fourfold.
While cocaine amounts seized by gardaí are steady, senior gardaí stressed this was not a good indicator of the use of the drug as hauls regularly vary.
